Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-12-09

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requirements of existence were burdensome
Andrew Johnson's efforts to conciliate th
Old ar1stocratlc element of the south were a
their climax, and the national capital wa
much frequented by the social and politica
leaders OF Dixie in consequence Many O
them were sadly impoverished and aired, per
force, their decayed yet unruffled gentilit,
about the boarding houses rather than tn
great hotels.
The gentleman finally pulled a certain dool
bell and was ushered into much used par
Tor by white aproned mulatto, who tool
his card and hastened up stairs. The visitor
sank back into chair and looked out at tn,
window. He was tall, slender and wei
dressed, with pensive air, long brown
! mustache and close clipped hair slightly
tinted with gray. Five minutes passed, ant
his attitude remained unchanged. Their
there was soft rustic of drapery down the
hall, faint scent of violets in the air, and &
low clear voice entering her ear as its owner
glided into his presence He had arisen, hat
in hand, as these words were uttered:
''Dr. -Iyzarde will pardon this intrusion,
hope, for instead of Mr.. Seabrook, it is only
his niece. Uncle Horace is out Good
heavens!n
My little recruit againp'
These EXPLANATIONS were the result of q
mutual survey of each other. The lady
flushed violently, then her face slowly paled,
as her large eyes rested in wondering embar-
rassment on the stranger He drew deep
breath, then said, hesitatingly:
care you indeed Mr. Seabrook's niece
his favorite niece, as he has told meg"
HE is foolish enough to call me so; yet
what must you think of me-you, his old
friend, whom l thought had never seen be-
fore?'
Her color again rose and her eyes fell be-
fore-his gaze but he smiled roguishlv, saw
ing:
ut might take hours to tell all 1 have
thought about you. And so you were the
romantic young lady who ran away from the
convent school in Charleston after Gettys-
burg, bent on doing heroic and impracticable
wonders for your country. Horace wrote
me something of it at the time, yet I never
dreamed until now that my little recruit and
she were one.n
Il fear it has not added to your good opin-
ion OF me, and had [ thought the stern Young
doctor before whom I trembled, and Uncle
Horaces old friend George Iyzarde were also
one and the same, I should never have dared
to face you.'
''Yet have often wished to see you" said
he earnestly. cit must have been that the
wish was father to the thought in enabling
me to recognize you today, having only seen
you once before"
care you SO sure Of thatsn she asked
archly.
He looked at her inquiringly, then re-
piled:
81 was wounded, you know, or rather you
didn't know. 1t was shortly before the sur
render. I was delirious, I think, but fancied
that | caught glimpses of your face, fairer
than had seen it before, yet still yours It
was doubtless only fancy, though its fleeting,
recurring vividness made it seem real"
'Then you never heard of Sister Maria
Jonesgn
Her face was grave. yet merry light
danced in her eyes.
''Well, no." he returned unsuspectingly.
There were many nurses about us, yet. I
believe you are quizzing me.'
"What wonderful penetration &c. sir,
you never heard of her I fear you will next
deny having coldly advised a timid soldier
boy to go as nurse, after telling himn-
"Why, of course remember that, andn-
''Silence! After plainly intimating that
his budding patriotism deserved no higher
avenue to fame.''
81 humbly plead guilty to that charge,
yet what has that to do with Sister Maria
Smith?''
"Jones, sir. There were already too many
Smiths in the order. Now, don't it occur to
you that your soldier boy might have re-
changed his sex in appearing as a nurse?
Men have many privileges, but sisterhood is
as yet denied them. Sister Tom Jones
wouldn't have sounded well, so it had to be
Maria instead, and"-
"Then you were Sister Maria?n
'NWho nursed you in the field hospital"
"Then did see you there after ALL shall
never dispute my fancy again. How regret
that did not have sense to express my graft
tude.n
They looked at each other in silence for a
Then her gaze wandered through
the window, on her cheek was tender play
of color, and she sighed softly. His own look
was one of unrepressed admiration. Finally
he took her unresisting hand, saying:
"Miss Seabrook, forgive my abruptnees. I
nave often thought of you, slight and pecu-
liar as has been our intercourse, and
now"----
The front door suddenly opened and a
heavy step was heard in the hall With
glance and a smile TRANSPORTING her face
that no lover could mistake, she gently with
drew her hand just as an affable looking,
middle aged man appeared in the doorway,
and said with Protean assumption of rail
lery:
"Uncle Horace, here is stranger who as
serts SO strongly his desire to be friend that
1 shall leave him with you to settle the ques-
tion."
And she did. The nature of the settlement
may be determined from the following notice
that appeared in The Charleston Courier
some time during the following November:
cat the residence of Horace Seabrook,
Esq, Oak Cottage, ST. Andrews parish, by
the Rev. Charles Cotesworth, Miss Alice
Seabrook to DR., G.. W. Iyzarde of this city.
No cards. William Perry Brown in Atlanta
Constitution.